# New default DB file location, and how to keep using the current DB file as is via customizing **URL:** \ **Category:** Tips\ **Created:** [October 5, 2020, 4:42pm UTC](https://org-roam.discourse.group/t/new-default-db-file-location-and-how-to-keep-using-the-current-db-file-as-is-via-customizing/821 "2020-10-05T16:42:07Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![nobiot](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/free1/user_avatar/org-roam.discourse.group/nobiot/32/159_2.png) [@nobiot](https://org-roam.discourse.group/u/nobiot)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2020, 4:42pm UTC](https://org-roam.discourse.group/t/new-default-db-file-location-and-how-to-keep-using-the-current-db-file-as-is-via-customizing/821/1 "2020-10-05T16:42:08Z")
Very recent (about 5 hours ago as I write this) commit [`32bf910`](https://github.com/org-roam/org-roam/commit/32bf91077e01fbfbaa23eeaef23400e3d8ec64b2) introduces a new default location for your `org-roam.db` file. > Move the default location of `org-roam.db` to the user’s Emacs > directory. This is a more sensible default: those who sync their > Org files would not have the database synced over as well. Good change if you sync your notes via Cloud sync services (you would not need to explicitly exclude the `.db` file from sync). This change might surprise you if you have used Org-roam since before this change, as Org-roam would try to build another database file from scratch. Depending on the size of your notes repository, it might take noticeable time. There is no harm using a new file in the new default location. But for whatever reason, if you prefer to keep using the DB file you have already built, you can tell Org-roam to do so by using this customizing variable. It exists before the change, so you can set it up before you update your Org-roam package. * * * `(setq org-roam-db-location "c:/Users/nobiot/org-roam/org-roam.db")` or via customizing like this: ![image](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/free1/uploads/orgroam/original/1X/489b236929ff93975b3ac5535864bea0b13b1cef.png) ---
**Author:** ![jethro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/b5a626/32.png) [@jethro](https://org-roam.discourse.group/u/jethro)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2020, 6:48pm UTC](https://org-roam.discourse.group/t/new-default-db-file-location-and-how-to-keep-using-the-current-db-file-as-is-via-customizing/821/2 "2020-10-05T18:48:07Z")
Or, if you don’t wish to rebuild the database from scratch, it is possible (I think) to simply move the db file over without any issues 😄 ---
**Author:** ![nobiot](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/free1/user_avatar/org-roam.discourse.group/nobiot/32/159_2.png) [@nobiot](https://org-roam.discourse.group/u/nobiot)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2020, 8:42pm UTC](https://org-roam.discourse.group/t/new-default-db-file-location-and-how-to-keep-using-the-current-db-file-as-is-via-customizing/821/3 "2020-10-05T20:42:50Z")
I have a feeling you might also need to move/copy the org-id file (?) I don’t use IDs, so can’t be sure 😅 ---
**Author:** ![holtzermann17](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/free1/user_avatar/org-roam.discourse.group/holtzermann17/32/377_2.png) [@holtzermann17](https://org-roam.discourse.group/u/holtzermann17)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2020, 10:23pm UTC](https://org-roam.discourse.group/t/new-default-db-file-location-and-how-to-keep-using-the-current-db-file-as-is-via-customizing/821/4 "2020-10-05T22:23:10Z")
BTW, in my workflow I’m using multiple different database files. This works a treat: ``` (defvar org-roam-library `(,(concat "/home/" (getenv "USER") "/arxana/org-roam/") ,(concat "/home/" (getenv "USER") "/org-roam/") ,(concat "/home/" (getenv "USER") "/eightfold-path/") ,(concat "/home/" (getenv "USER") "/PeeragogyORG/"))) (defun org-roam-checkout () (interactive) (let ((ctx org-roam-directory)) (if (eq (length org-roam-library) 1) ;; Still go ahead and set the variable in this case! (progn (setq org-roam-directory (car org-roam-library)) (message "You only have one choice for org-roam-directory defined.")) (let ((lib (completing-read "Choose a volume: " org-roam-library))) (when lib (setq org-roam-directory lib)))) ;; assuming the user changes context, let’s also prompt them ;; to choose a new file in that context (when (not (eq ctx org-roam-directory)) (org-roam-find-file)))) ``` It looks like in light of the change, the `org-roam-checkout` function should be adjusted to set the `org-roam-db-location` as well as the `org-roam-directory`. Will sort it out shortly… ---
**Author:** ![jethro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/b5a626/32.png) [@jethro](https://org-roam.discourse.group/u/jethro)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2020, 3:42am UTC](https://org-roam.discourse.group/t/new-default-db-file-location-and-how-to-keep-using-the-current-db-file-as-is-via-customizing/821/5 "2020-10-06T03:42:48Z")
Nope, Org-roam caches the IDs and uses it to navigate, rather than rely on Org’s file cache mechanism ---
**Author:** ![nobiot](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/free1/user_avatar/org-roam.discourse.group/nobiot/32/159_2.png) [@nobiot](https://org-roam.discourse.group/u/nobiot)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2020, 7:56am UTC](https://org-roam.discourse.group/t/new-default-db-file-location-and-how-to-keep-using-the-current-db-file-as-is-via-customizing/821/6 "2020-10-06T07:56:31Z")
That looks like a very sophisticated setup! I switch between my notes directory and test directory manually evaluating `(setq org-roam-directory ...)` etc. 😅 Maybe time for adding a toggle function at least…